Developing a learning and development strategy

A good starting point for developing or updating the organisation’s learning and development strategy is reviewing the organisational, participant and workers drivers, and confirming the capabilities workers already have. The strategy should also guide individual worker development plans, which can be recorded in each worker’s Performance Agreement, including the capability development plan. You can find more information and a template for recording individual learning goals by accessing the Frameworks tools and resources or use your organisation’s existing system, such as a Learning Management System (LMS), to manage training records.

The Workforce Management and Planning Tool and the Supervision resources provide further information on what to consider and how to plan for and provide a broad range of learning and development actions. Structured training is not a ‘silver bullet’ for addressing all workforce learning needs. It is only one of many options to consider when planning how to meet your workforce capability development priorities. Other options include on-the-job feedback, structured buddy shifts, coaching and reflective practice, and so on. These options are often more effective to address capabilities related to values and attitudes, while structured training may be more appropriate for providing broad foundational knowledge and developing specific skills. The next two sections of this guide are focused on understanding and finding structured training options.